The Aftermath
by Angel Phlox
Summary: Maka and Soul grow closer together, but when something threatens Maka's life, will their time together be cut short?
1. Nightmares

**Chapter 1: Nightmares**

It's a peaceful, normal night in Death City as most of the citizens are asleep. There are, of course, many parties going on, but for Maka Albarn, life is anything _but _a party. Lately, she has had nightmares that interrupt her sleep, leaving her tired and cranky in the mornings. She sees everyone else's happiness and finds herself jealous since she's almost always tired.

The effects of battling the Kishin have definitely taken their toll on poor Maka, despite that having been three long years ago. She has tried to keep her mind busy by helping with repairs to Death City (that will take _years_ to complete). She doesn't talk about her nightmares much, especially with Soul, since she knows he has enough to worry about. She doesn't want to worry him, but he _is_ her partner, so she should tell him _eventually_, right?

Anyways, as Maka tosses and turns, another nightmare slithers its way into her mind like a snake:

_She is once again facing Medusa, but this time she no weapon, no escape, and no one to help her. Soul is strapped to a table with metal chains. He has no shirt on, which reveals the long scar on his chest. He struggles to get free, but the chains restrain him. There is the faint, but ever present, sound of distant screams and wails. Maka turns to see that Professor Stein is holding her back with a grotesque expression on his patched-up face. He grins slightly as he begins to mark where he will dissect her. _

_ She turns to see Soul scream as Medusa cuts him open with a scalpel. His screams pierce her ears, but there's nothing she can do. Blood sprays everywhere as Soul is slowly dying in front of her. She calls out his name, but her voice doesn't work. Stein, too, begins dissecting her._ _She screams_ _endlessly as_ _the dream fades…_

"Maka! Oi, Maka!" Soul gently shakes the screaming Maka.

Maka slowly opens her eyes and stares at Soul for a few moments. Soul mentally sighs with relief. He'd almost had a heart attack thanks to her screaming. He can see the sweat on her forehead and wonders if that's what he looked like when the black blood had first entered his body. He shudders just _thinking_ about it.

"You're safe now. You're ok." Soul says calmly.

Maka takes a deep breath. "A-arigato, Soul."

He grins halfheartedly. "Don't mention it."

Maka lowers her head and her light brown hair falls over her shoulders. Soul still hasn't let go of her shoulders and is tempted to not let go. He notices that her normally cheerful green eyes are now filled with fear. _Damn, I hate seeing her like this,_ Soul thinks. He knows that she felt the same way when he was like this, but he isn't eager to repeat this again, even if he isn't the one having nightmares.

Maka wraps her arms around Soul, needing his comforting touch. He can feel her body shake ever so slightly. His cheeks grow hot, but, despite that, he puts an arm around her. He understands the sheer terror that nightmares bring. However, Maka hasn't told him much of anything yet, so he can't help her. He _wants_ to help her—to be there for her, but she doesn't let him in; although, he is the same way towards her. _So this is how it feels,_ Soul thinks.

"Do you want me to stay?" Soul asks hesitantly.

Maka nods and looks up at him. "Please."

Soul smiles. "I'll chase the nightmares away."

"And _I'll_ beat them up."

"Sounds like fun." Soul says as he lies next to Maka in her warm bed.


	2. Bad Timing

**Chapter 2: Bad Timing**

Spirit Albarn, Maka's father, has never been able to keep his hands off women. He also has poor communication skills when it comes to having heart-to-heart talks with Maka, which are rare occurrences. He truly does love her, but his actions say otherwise. He knows how much Maka disdains him—being in his company for sure—but he also knows that she loves him despite his faults.

Unfortunately, Mr. Albarn is extremely protective over Maka, and often wants to strangle her partner Soul. He wishes that Maka had picked a female weapon to work with, but _nooooo!_ Heaven forbid Maka ever work with a weapon of the same sex! She had to pick that no-good _punk_ Soul Evans. At least, this is what _he_ thinks. Maka has an extremely _different _view. _Will I ever make peace with her?_ Death Scythe thinks.

Soul opens his eyes and yawns. He feels more warmth than usual, so he looks beside him. He sees Maka sleeping soundly. It takes a while for him to remember that he came and comforted her last night. He continues to stare at Maka, which probably seems creepy. _She looks pretty in the sunlight,_ Soul thinks. He immediately shakes his head and gets rid of that disgusting thought.

Maka stirs next to him, making some mumbling sounds that Soul can't understand. Soul grins and carefully gets out of bed, making sure not to wake Maka. He pulls the covers over her and walks out of her room. He immediately finds a change of clothes and steps into the shower. _Today's gonna be troublesome,_ he thinks bitterly.

He has had a full schedule for the past three years, and it's taken its toll on him. His body aches all the time because of his special training and the taxing assignments Shinigami-sama gives him. The only reason he hasn't become a Death Scythe yet is because of the reconstruction of Death City. He tries to not let it get to him, but sometimes, he gets extremely pissed off that Shinigami-sama is ignoring his requests and pleas.

He gets out of the shower and dries off. He puts on his pants and then proceeds to fix his hair. _Gotta look cool for today, _he thinks. He then walks out and heads to Maka's room to check on her.

He knocks on the door. "Oi, Maka, are you awake? It's time to leave."

No answer.

He walks in and she is still sleeping. He grins and walks over to her bed. He sits down and gently shakes her.

"Maka, wake up you lazy bum." He says.

Maka slowly sits up and yawns, still tired from the lack of sleep. "What time is it?" she asks.

Soul shrugs. "I—"

"It's _time_ for you to get out of my daughter's room, you pervert!" yells an angry Spirit Albarn.

Both Maka and Soul turn and see her father standing in the doorway of Maka's room.

_When did __**he**__ get here?_ Soul wonders.

Maka throws a pillow at her dad. "Get out!"

The pillow slams into Spirit's face, knocking him backwards.

Soul sighs and looks at Maka. "He's the one who spends all his time having sex with women and _I'm _the pervert?"

Maka rolls her eyes. "Maybe he said that because you don't have a _shirt_ on, idiot."

Soul ignores her comment and walks out, standing over Spirit as he slowly sits up.

"You got lucky that time, punk." Spirit says as he sets the pillow on the nearby couch.

"Shut up, old man. I don't have time for you today." Soul says with disgust as he heads to the kitchen to get some breakfast.

Spirit quickly stands to punch Soul square in the mouth, but is stopped by Maka's cold stare. He makes eye contact with her and she motions for him to go toward her. He walks in tentatively, preparing for the worst. He swallows as Maka stands calmly, brushing her shirt off.

"Papa," she says, pausing for a few seconds, "you're an _embarrassment! Get out of my apartment!"_

She then shoves him out of her room and slams the door.

Spirit blinks in surprise. _Maybe it's that time of the month,_ he thinks.

"You sure made her mad, Death Scythe-sama," says Blair the Sex Cat.

Spirit looks over at Blair, who is in a towel. His heartbeat accelerates, but he tries to contain his excitement.

"B-Blair-chan," he says nervously, "you sure are…observant."

"She's not the only one," Soul says from the kitchen.

Spirit growls under his breath. "Stupid smart-ass punk."

Blair giggles and snaps her fingers, changing into her "normal attire" of a witch dress. "Death Scythe-sama, don't get so worked up. It's too early to be upset." She smiles.

Spirit rubs the back of his head. "Tell that to Maka."

Blair laughs. "Well, I'll see you later today. Buh-bye now!"

"B-bye."

She turns into a cat and hops out the window.

"You better leave," Soul says, walking out of the kitchen, "or Maka's gonna kill you."

Spirit rolls his eyes. "Why were you in her room without a shirt?"

Soul raises an eyebrow. "Why were _you_ in our apartment without knocking first?"

_I walked into that one,_ Spirit thinks bitterly. "Never mind that. Just tell Maka I need to talk to her after she's done training or whatever the hell she does now."

Soul frowns but nods, curious as to what Maka's dad is going to say to her.

Spirit leans down to match Soul's height, even though he isn't that much shorter than him now. "Don't touch my daughter. Or you'll answer to _me_."

Soul stares into his eyes and says nothing.

With that, Spirit leaves.

_Despite his repulsive habits,_ Soul thinks, _I don't wanna fight him. He'd probably kick my ass. Probably._

Maka walks out of her room dressed for the day. "Talk about bad timing," she says.

Soul nods. "Yeah. Bad timing."


	3. A New Assignment

**Note: "kami-sama" refers to a deity or an all-powerful being, such as a god.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: A New Assignment**

As Soul prepares breakfast, Maka gathers her things that she will need for the day. She packs some books, pencils, paper, and extra clothes. She always likes to be prepared. Her nightmare from last night is still fresh on her mind, but she refuses to let it shake her up today. She doesn't want to look weak in front of Soul again. That was extremely embarrassing for her, and she doesn't care to repeat that experience again.

"Breakfast is ready," Soul calls from the kitchen.

"Ok!" Maka replies.

She walks out of her room and places her backpack on the couch. Soul sets down plates that have scrambled eggs, toast, and fruit on them. Maka delightedly starts eating.

"Soul, this is delicious!" Maka says happily.

Soul's cheeks heat up. "It's nothing."

He then sits down and begins eating with Maka. He is tempted to ask her how she's doing, but he doesn't usually ask stuff like that. He doesn't want Maka to get the wrong idea, so he leaves it alone. _If she needs to tell me something, I won't have to force it out of her. She'll come to me when she's ready, _Soul thinks.

Someone knocks.

Soul and Maka look at each other, extremely confused. People don't usually come over at this hour unless it's urgent or of the utmost importance.

Soul frowns. "Who the hell could _that_ be? It's too early for mail."

Maka shrugs and gets up from the table. "I'll see who it is."

Soul nods. "You do that."

Maka opens the door to find Kid standing in front of her.

"Ohayo, Maka," he says calmly.

"Ohayo, Kid-kun." Maka says. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"

Kid shakes his head. "Nothing is wrong, don't worry. My father asked me to deliver something to both you and Soul."

Upon hearing his name, Soul gets up and stands beside Maka. "I heard my name."

Kid sighs and rolls his eyes. Soul's blunt personality tends to annoy him at times.

"As I was saying," Kid continues, "my father asked me to deliver this to the both of you to save him the trouble of personally summoning you."

Maka frowns as Kid hands her a letter with Shinigami-sama's signet stamp on the envelope. "What does it say?"

"I'm a messenger, not a prophet." Kid says. "He didn't tell me. You'll have to read it for yourselves. Once you've made up your mind about whatever is written in that letter, call him and come to his meeting room."

Soul steps forward. "This isn't like Shinigami-sama. What's going on, Kid?"

Kid sighs. "I wish I knew, Soul. I really do. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to report back to my father."

Maka nods. "Of course. Thank you for this, um, letter."

Kid nods. "See you soon."

He summons his skateboard and flies away.

Maka closes the door and Soul snatches the letter from her hands.

"Hey!" Maka says. "I wanna read it too!"

Soul holds up his hand to her face. "Calm your non-existing tits down. I'll let you read it."

Maka's cheeks turn red at his comment. "They're not non-existent! They've grown, actually! Not that you'd notice."

Soul chuckles and opens the letter. "Whatever you say, Maka."

They are quiet for a few seconds.

"Well?" Maka asks impatiently. "What does it say?"

Soul frowns and then hands it to her. "We have a new assignment."

**o0o**

"We're all gonna be promoted to sensei?" Maka asks as Shinigami-sama calmly sips his tea.

"I thought you could read." Soul mutters.

Maka elbows Soul in the ribs. "Urusai!"

Soul winces and rolls his eyes.

"No disrespect meant, Shinigami-sama," Maka continues, "but why us?"

She gestures to Kid, Black Star, Patty, Liz, and Tsubaki, who are also in the room. They were all summoned by Shinigami-sama that morning.

"I picked all of you because you each have skills that need to be passed down to the next generation." Shinigami-sama says.

Soul laughs. "Can you imagine it? Kids will be calling us 'sensei' and crap like that."

Tsubaki claps her hands. "It sounds so exciting! I can't wait!"

Liz sighs as she files her nails. "I missed an hour of beauty sleep for _this_?"

"Yes, but, Black Star of all people? Really?" Maka asks.

"Hey!" Black Star yells. "I realize that my bigness isn't comprehensible to most of you,"

Maka rolls her eyes. _Here he goes…_

Black Star continues, "but Shinigami-sama has made an _excellent _decision by choosing me. I _am_ the man who transcends kami-sama, after all. Being made a sensei is an _honor_."

Kid rubs her forehead. _As skilled as that buffoon is, why would Father even __**consider**__ making him a sensei? He isn't ready!_

Soul looks at Tsubaki as if to say, "How are you ok with this?" She shrugs and turns her attention to Shinigami-sama.

"There is someone else who will also be joining you all." Shinigami-sama says.

"Who?" Maka asks eagerly.

"I hope it's not Stein…" Soul mutters under his breath.

Kid sighs and straightens his jacket.

Shinigami-sama looks toward the door. "Come in, please."

Everyone turns toward the door and Crona walks in.

"I, um, look forward to working with you guys," he says shyly.


	4. Strategy

**Chapter 4: Strategy**

Maka's face lights up as soon as she sees Crona. Much to Crona's surprise, Maka hugs him tightly. Soul rolls his eyes in disgust as Maka happily greets him. She hasn't seen Crona much in the past few years, and has been concerned about him. He has gained some more weight, but is still slim.

"You're being promoted too?" Maka asks him.

_Why else would he be here?_ Soul thinks.

Crona nods. "I-it caught me by surprise."

Kid walks over to Crona and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Don't be so modest, Crona. You deserve this promotion."

Black Star crosses his arms and frowns while the others converse with Crona. _How dare he steal the spotlight from me! Does my bigness not intimidate him __**at all**__? I am the mighty Black Star-sama: The man who transcends kami-sama!_ He thinks bitterly. Tsubaki notices and nudges him.

"Calm down, Black Star," she says, "you know that Crona needs friends."

Black Star sighs. "Yeah, you're right, Tsubaki."

Tsubaki smiles. "Good."

"I just don't know why he didn't come to me first. I mean, I'm so big that it's impossible _not_ to see me." Black Star struts over to Crona.

Tsubaki sighs. _And to think I thought he'd changed…_

Black Star shoves everyone aside and drapes an arm around Crona, who doesn't appreciate the physical contact. "Say, Crona, if anyone ever gives you a hard time, just let me know and I'll kick their ass for you. Ok?"

Everyone stares at Black Star.

_That's surprisingly nice of him,_ Maka thinks. However, she doubts his genuineness.

Soul scoffs at the thought of Black Star beating up someone for Crona. _He's only offering so people will notice him and say what a great guy he is,_ Soul thinks, _Doesn't anyone else see that?_

"I can defend myself, thank you." Crona says quietly.

The whole room is silent. Not even Shinigami-sama dares to utter a sound. Black Star stiffens and stares at Crona.

Maka's eyes widen. _Did he just __**refuse**__ Black Star?!_ She gives Crona a look and tries to tell him, non-verbally of course, that he needs to reconcile quickly. She knew that Black Star wouldn't handle rejection like that well.

Crona clears his throat. "I mean, um, I'll take you up on that, uh, offer."

Black Star relaxes and smiles, though everyone can tell he's trying too hard. "Good, then." He extends his hand. "Friends?"

Crona looks down at Black Star's hand for a few moments then takes his hand and they shake. "F-friends."

"Yahoo!" Black Star shouts. He jumps and pumps his fist in the air.

Shinigami-sama clears his throat. "Now that you're all reacquainted, I suggest you plan how you will handle—I mean _teach_ the children. I want a report in my hands by tomorrow."

Everyone bows. "Hai!"

"Do we _all_ have to write a report?" Black Star asks, praying that only one person has to do it.

Shinigami-sama shakes his head. "I only need one."

Black Star sighs.

"Did you have a specific time in mind?" Maka asks.

"Hmmm…" Shinigami-sama taps his chin thoughtfully. "By lunchtime tomorrow. How does that sound?"

Maka smiles. "It sounds doable, sir."

Shinigami-sama claps his hands. "Very good! You are all dismissed."

Everyone bows once again and leaves the room.

_I'll be watching your progress,_ Shinigami-sama thinks.

**o0o**

"Now what?" Black Star asks once they exit the building.

"We need to come up with a precise plan of how we will proceed with teaching the children." Kid says. "I'm afraid it won't be easy in the least."

Maka sighs. "We know that, but which one of us has actually _dealt_ with kids?"

Silence.

"My point exactly." Maka says.

"Let's start with how we handle them _emotionally_." Tsubaki says. "Kids can be frustrating."

"That's an _understatement_, Tsubaki." Soul says.

"Yeah, see, I'm not too good with kids." Liz says. "They always ruin my hair."

Everyone looks at each other.

"Let's talk this over at my place, shall we? It's more peaceful there." Maka suggests.

Kid nods. "That's sounds like an excellent idea."

"Will there be food?" Black Star asks excitedly.

"Of course!" Soul says.

"Let's go!" Maka says.

**-At Maka and Soul's Apartment-**

Everyone is gathered around a fairly large table. Soul has prepared a feast-sized lunch. While everyone eats, they discuss different teaching methods they could use. None of them know how to teach, exactly, so they decide to ask someone who is or was a teacher. Maka also suggests that they should do some research at the library about how to discipline children properly.

"We should talk to Professor Stein." Maka suggests. "He _is_ a teacher, after all."

"B-but he scares me." Crona says.

"I'm with Crona on that one." Liz says as she eats her salad.

Maka rolls her eyes. "Come on, guys. He isn't _that_ bad."

"He was when we first met him." Soul says.

"That was under different circumstances." Maka says.

"So what?" Soul says. "He _still_ gives me nightmares from time to time."

"There's something off about him," Liz says, "and it creeps me out when I talk to him."

"I agree with Maka." Kid says.

"You _do_?" Maka asks.

"He _does_?" Soul repeats.

"I think it's a good strategic move to ask a teacher like Stein, despite his…unusualness." Kid says calmly.

"Do whatever the hell you guys want," Black Star says while inhaling food, "I just wanna be called 'sensei.' "

Maka rolls her eyes. "At least you'll be like a god in _their_ eyes."

Tsubaki laughs quietly.

Black Star ignores Maka's comment and continues eating.

"Since most of you are too afraid to go talk to Stein," Kid says, "I think it'd be best if just Maka and I went."

"Yeah, you two go have fun." Liz says.

"Fun!" Patty echoes.

Maka looks at Kid. "Thanks."

He smiles politely. "Any time."

Soul scoffs at the way Kid smiles at Maka. _Something still doesn't quite feel right about this assignment,_ he thinks, _and I'm gonna find out what it is._


	5. Preparation

**Chapter 5: Preparation**

After lunch, Maka and Kid head over to Stein's house. Before they left, however, Maka gave everyone else the task of coming up with simple exercises that they could demonstrate. For example: guarding, stances, cooperation between meisters and weapons—things like that. Despite Tsubaki being there, Maka doubts that they will get anything done, since Black Star tends to avoid "troublesome" tasks such as the one he's been given. _As much as I admire and respect Black Star,_ Maka thinks, _I'm extremely apprehensive about him becoming a sensei._

"You're worried about Black Star keeping the others from accomplishing anything, aren't you?" Kid asks.

Maka looks at him in surprise. "H-how could you tell?"

Despite Kid's extreme quirk about symmetry, his observation skills are no laughing matter. He knows that Maka doesn't like for things to not get done, and the worry was clearly written all over her face. Or, perhaps, Kid is just more intuitive than the others. _Can't Soul see that she isn't being herself?_ Kid wonders. Besides, with Black Star's massive immaturity, it is unlikely that much progression will be made.

"Your face says it all." Kid replies.

Maka's face heats up. "It's that obvious? Wow…"

Kid nods. "Though I highly doubt many people would notice."

She frowns. "Why do you say that?"

_Explaining myself is such a pain…_Kid replies, "People are too caught up in themsleves to notice others."

Maka nods. "Oh, I see."

_Wait,_ Kid thinks, _I don't recall checking the candles before I left home! Are they even? What if one is lower than the rest? Then they won't be symmetrical! I'll be a laughing stock because I can't even take care of candles. How will people take me seriously as a Shinigami?_ Kid's body goes rigid and sweat forms on his forehead. He rapidly taps his fingers against his leg. The thought of one candle not being symmetrical with the others is driving him crazy. _The candles __**must**__ be even!_ Kid thinks.

Maka waves a hand in front of his face. "Um, Kid-kun? Are you ok?"

Kid swallows. "I…I think one of the candles is lowers than the other candles—I have to go check right away."

_I can't take you seriously right now, _Maka thinks,_ even though you are a Shinigami._

She sighs. "Look, Kid-kun, what's more important right now: talking to Professor Stein, or your candles? We need a report by _tomorrow_, in case you've forgotten."

Kid takes a deep breath. He has come up with certain exercises that control his almost irresistible urges for perfection. They have prohibited him from many things in the past, and he is determined to not be controlled by a stupid quirk…though it is extremely difficult at times.

Kid sighs and clenches his fists to prevent his fingers from twitching. "I'm sorry about that—it's rather embarrassing, isn't it?"

Maka doesn't answer.

"I'm fine now." Kid says. "But let's make this quick."

Maka nods and smiles. "Hai."

**-At Stein's House-**

"So," Stein begins, "you're telling me that you've been promoted to sensei, and you're looking for tips…from _me_?"

Kid nods. "That is correct. We decided that, logically, you were one of the best choices."

Stein raises an eyebrow.

"Well, the one of the best choices besides books, anyway." Maka adds.

Stein nods and blows out a puff of smoke from his cigarette. "I'm not too good with _little_ kids, you know. I scare them."

_You scare adults, too,_ Maka thinks. "We figured that." She looks at Kid. "We were just wondering if you had any basic teaching tips."

Kid nods then looks at Stein. "So, do you have any suggestions?"

Stein twists his screw a few times, thinking deeply about their question. "Hmmmm…There isn't any one method that works for everyone. Although, one method that seems to work with _most_ people is seeing then doing. If you _show_ them what to do, then tell them to _do_ it, they'll learn by trial and error."

Maka nods thoughtfully. "That makes sense. But what about teaching them how to match soul wavelengths?"

Stein blows out another puff of smoke. "Tamashi no kyome…That's rather difficult to explain sometimes. You might want to consult books for that."

"Maka has us covered there." Kid says.

Maka laughs. "That's true."

"Other than that," Stein says, "I don't think I have anything more to offer. I never was good at 'normal' teaching methods."

"I think we'll manage from there," Kid says, "arigato, Professor Stein."

Stein nods. "You're welcome."

Both Maka and Kid stand and then bow before leaving.

"That seemed simple," Maka says, "_too_ simple…"

"Maybe it isn't as complicated as we thought." Kid says.

"I highly doubt that."

Kid shrugs. "There's only one way to find out."

**-Meanwhile, Back At Maka & Soul's Apartment-**

"Shouldn't we be _doing_ something?" Soul asks.

"Yeah, I'm bored." Liz says.

"Maka isn't here, so it doesn't matter. She'll get mad that we didn't do anything and she'll just do it herself. Besides, someone as big as me doesn't do troublesome stuff like...What did she ask us to do?" Black Star says while reading one of his favorite comics.

Soul groans. "Baka! Did you listen to _anything _Maka said?"

"Nope."

_Sometimes, _ Soul thinks, _you're beyond irritating, Black Star. _"She asked us to come up with some basic exercises we could do with the kids."

Black Star frowns and looks up. "That sounds boring. It's more of a Maka thing instead of someone as big as me."

Tsubaki sighs as she overhears their conversation from the kitchen. _Black Star, you can't keep relying on Maka to do all the intellectual work forever…_

Patty happily doodles on a piece of paper and says, "Giraffe! Giraffe!"

"Kid won't be very happy either." Liz points out and looks up from painting her nails. "He won't let us hear the end of it."

Black Star rolls his eyes. "By the time he gets back, he'll be too worried about some stupid picture being uneven or something like that."

_Maka won't let **me** hear the end of this either,_ Soul thinks. "So none of you have _any_ ideas?"

Liz shakes her head. "Nope."

Patty just chants, "Giraffe!"

Tsubaki doesn't respond, and Black Star is too engrossed in his comic to answer either.

Soul sighs. "We're in deep shit…"

"You're right about that," says an angry Maka from behind.

Before Soul can say anything, Maka does her famous Maka Chop on his head. He winces and glares at her. "The hell was _that_ for?"

Maka sighs, controlling her disappointment and annoyance. "Was coming up with something _that_ difficult for you guys?"

The room is silent.

Kid looks at Liz and Patty, who shrink back at his disapproving glance. "I expected this much from Black Star, but _all_ of you?"

"This is embarrassing." Maka says.

Tsubaki emerges from the kitchen. "Actually, Maka-chan, I have an idea."

"Of course…Thank you, Tsubaki-chan." Maka says.

Kid walks over to Liz and Patty. "Come on. We're leaving now."

"B-but, what about the report?" Liz asks.

"Never mind that." Kid says. "I'll meet up with Maka later."

Patty's smile melts off her face as she stands. " Gomene, Kid."

Kid sighs. "Just…let's go."

All three of them leave without another word. Maka and Tsubaki have a brief conversation before she leaves with Black Star. The mood is tense and quite awkward, which wasn't what Maka had planned. She is quite embarrassed by the entire situation.

"I'm going to my room." Maka says.

"You're mad at me." Soul says. "Is that it?"

Maka sighs. "I'm mad that you didn't take this seriously."

_Can't argue that,_ Soul thinks. "Look, I'm sorry. I really am, Maka."

Maka stares at him for a moment. _I know he means it,_ she thinks. She sighs and walks over to him, standing only inches away from him. In a flash, she hugs Soul.

Soul is taken by surprise, but he hugs her back nevertheless. "What's wrong?"

"I don't think I can do this." Maka says.

"Yes you can. You're Maka—you can do anything."

She smiles to herself. "You're damn right."

Soul chuckles. "Of course I am."

_Now, why don't you tell me what's __**really**__ bothering you?_ Soul thinks.

"Arigato, Soul."


	6. Discussions

**Chapter 6: Discussions**

Liz and Patty purposely walk behind an irritated Kid. They know that he isn't at all in a talking mood, so they leave him be. He already has to go back to Maka's apartment to write the report with her. It doesn't help that no one contributed anything to their assignment other than Maka and Kid. Also, the OCD urges have been nagging him ever since he and Maka left Stein's house. _I have to check the candles!_ Kid thinks. His pace quickens and his movements become rather stiff. His impatience grows by the minute. _Calm down_, he tells himself, _don't let it get the best of you._

"Ne, Kid," Liz says, "are you ok?"

Kid sighs. "I'm fine...I just need to check the candles as soon as we get home."

She resists the urge to sigh in disgust. "So, you and Maka are gonna write the report?"

"Since you didn't bother to contribute, yes." He says with a hint of anger.

"Nee-chan, you probably shouldn't bring that up," Patty whispers in Liz's ear.

Liz bites her lip and mutters, "Curses...How could I have been so stupid?"

Kid turns around. "Did you say something?"

Both Patty and Liz stiffen and quickly shake their heads. "Nope!"

Kid frowns. "Good. Now hurry up."

The sisters look at each other then quicken their pace. "Hai!"

**-A Few Hours Later At Soul & Maka's Apartment-**

Maka is in her room, reading a teaching book she found at the library earlier that day. She takes thorough notes, figuring Kid will appreciate it. However, there is so much data that she might as well be copying the book word for word onto her notes. She didn't realize how complicated things could get if they did something deemed "wrong" or "inappropriate." They could get into serious trouble. She has been reading so long that she doesn't even notice when Soul walks in.

"Dinner's ready." Soul says. "Aren't you hungry?"

Maka looks up. "What time is it?"

Soul shrugs. "I dunno. Six, maybe seven o'clock."

Maka frowns. "Kid-kun said he was coming over, but he never specified a time..."

"Worrying about it won't do shit. Now come eat."

Maka sighs and sets her pencil down. "Ok. My hand was starting to hurt, anyway."

Soul chuckles. "Bookworm."

Maka lightly punches him as they make their way to the kitchen. "I'm saving your ass, so you should be thanking me."

"Whatever."

They both sit down and begin to eat.

"You know," Maka says, "I was thinking that, maybe, we should teach in a way that all of us can contribute something. You know, utilizing everyone's talents at the same time?"

Soul nods. "So, you're gonna let Kid teach them the importance of symmetry?"

Maka laughs. "No, but that'd be hilarious to watch."

Soul grins. "Black Star is only good when it comes to combat. Tsubaki seems to be the teacher type, so she should be in charge of something."

Maka nods. "I think we should have three 'official' senseis, and then each sensei has an assistant, or assistants, in Kid-kun's case."

"That way, they won't be confused." Soul says.

"Exactly!" Maka says.

"See? I told you—I knew you could do it."

Maka bites her lip. "Yeah, well, this is just planning. I have to put it into action."

"Just tell me what to do, Maka-sensei." Soul says. "I'll keep those kids in line for ya." He cracks his knuckles.

Maka cringes slightly. "I'll keep that in mind...And don't add 'sensei' to my name—it sounds weird."

"You're gonna have to get used to it."

"Yes, I know, but when you said it, it sounded weird. That's all."

Right at that moment, someone knocks on their door.

"I'll get it." Maka says as she gets up.

When she opens the door, Kid is standing there.

"You made it." Maka says. Even from a brief glance, she can tell that Kid looks worn out and tired.

Kid nods. "Yes. I apologize that I came randomly. Did I interrupt something?"

Maka shakes her head and stands aside to let Kid in. "Not at all. I just finished eating."

Kid walks in. "Good. I'd feel guilty if I interrupted something."

Soul scowls as Maka leads Kid to her room. _You just sat down!_

Maka briefly looks at Soul and says, "Kid and I will be in my room if you need us, ok?"

Soul nods. "Ok."

Kid looks at Soul and nods, acknowledging him. "Soul."

Soul nods back. "Kid."

He watches Maka and Kid discuss their plans as they walk into her room. _Why does he get to just pop up whenever he wants? Doesn't Maka have a problem with_ that?

**-In Maka's Room-**

Kid sits down and reads the notes that Maka wrote. _It's quite impressive_, Kid thinks, _I expected no less from Maka._ He knew that, with Maka's notes, things would be much easier than if they were to simply wing it.

"What do you think?" Maka asks.

Kid nods absentmindedly. "It's nice and thorough—just how I like it," he pauses, "I bet even Black Star could follow this; it's simple enough."

Maka frowns. "It is? I thought it was rather complicated."

Kid rubs his forehead. "Yes, but it's still simple enough to where even Black Star could follow along–my father will like this."

"I thought you were gonna help me." Maka says, slightly annoyed.

"I am," Kid says, "I just have to, um, read a bit."

Maka sits down next to Kid and looks at him with concern. _He looks kinda pale_, she thinks, _and for him, that's saying a lot_. "Kid-kun, are you ok?"

Kid looks up. "Hm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

_ Yeah, right,_ Maka thinks. "You seem tired. Would you like some coffee?"

Kid sighs and nods. "Sure, I'll take some."

"Ok. I'll be right back." Maka walks out and heads to the kitchen to make some coffee for Kid. _It's weird, though_, she thinks, _I've never seen Kid drink coffee._

"Are you two bookworms having fun?" Souk asks from the couch.

Maka rolls her eyes. "Shut up, Soul. This is serious."

Soul frowns. "I was just joking. What's up with you today?"

Maka shakes her head. "Nothing."

_That's bullshit and you know it_, Soul thinks. "Then why are you out here?"

"To get Kid-kun some coffee." She says while preparing the coffee. "He seems tired."

Soul nods then goes back to reading his magazine. "Don't we all?"

Maka doesn't respond. She walks back into her room with a cup of hot coffee. Kid doesn't even give her a second glance. She sets down the cup rather noisily, and Kid glances at her with an almost dead look, no pun intended.

"Arigato." Kid says and takes a sip.

"Have you come up with anything?" Maka asks.

Kid grins. "Let's discuss it, shall we?"

She nods eagerly. "Yes!"


	7. The Night Brings Fear

**Chapter 7: The Night Brings Fear**

After spending a few hours at Maka and Soul's apartment, Kid finally goes home to prepare for the next day. While he was working with her, he noticed that, as soon as the moon began to rise, Maka started acting strangely. She seemed to be on edge and nervous, which was unlike her. He didn't bother asking because they had to concentrate on their assignment. _Now that that's over with, _ Kid thinks, _I can finally take it easy._

Meanwhile, Maka nervously paces in her room, unable to sleep. She looks out the window and, instead of seeing the moon, she sees images from her nightmares. She can still hear Soul's screams and Medusa's laughter. She knows that it's foolish to let something like a nightmare keep her awake, but she just can't seem to calm down. When she finally does settle down an hour later, she doesn't get any solid sleep. Finally, at one in the morning, she gives up on sleep and resumes her pacing.

Soul knocks on her door. "Hey, are you awake?"

Maka stops suddenly and her body tenses up. "Y-yes."

Soul walks in. His hair is messy and he looks half asleep. "What's the matter? You've been screaming all night."

Maka swallows and relaxes. "Oh…You could hear me?"

He nods. "It kept me up. I couldn't sleep."

She feels embarrassed to hear Soul say that. _He heard me?! I hope I didn't say something stupid,_ she thinks. "G-gomen…"

Soul holds her by the shoulders. "There's no need to apologize. Just tell me what's wrong."

Maka bites her lip. She doesn't want to seem weak, but she knows that no one is perfect, so why should she pretend to be?

"I…I keep having nightmares," she explains, "nightmares about losing you…"

Soul's grip on her shoulders loosens. _Nightmares about losing __**me**__?_ He thinks, _She must care a whole damn lot about me to have nightmares._

"You won't lose me." He says firmly. He puts his arms around her and holds her close.

She grips his shirt so tightly that her hands ache. "It was so real…"

"I know, I know. But I'm right here—I'm real. Don't forget that."

She nods. "I won't…"

He lets go and looks at her, smiling ever so slightly. Before she can say anything, he scoops her up in his arms and lays her down on the bed. He sits next to her and pulls the covers up.

"I'll keep you company tonight." Soul says.

Maka hesitantly kisses his cheek. "Thank you."

He smiles. "Any time."

With that, Maka and Soul fall asleep. Unfortunately, the peace doesn't last long…

_Maka is running from something—something is chasing her. She can hear laughter that sounds familiar. She looks up and sees the moon; blood gushes from its smile. Fog obscures her vision and she trips over something. She quickly gets up. When she does, she sees Black Star chained to a tree. She goes over to him, only to find that he is dead. His skin is pale and his body is shriveled like a prune. He is covered in blood._

_ "I killed him," says a voice from above her._

_ Maka looks up and sees Soul, except he looks more like the Kishin. "Why would you kill your own comrade?"_

_ Soul laughs in a way that makes her shudder. "He would have killed me."_

_ Maka looks to her right and sees Kid, who is also chained to a tree. He too is covered in blood. She knows that he's dead._

_ "Why?" Maka asks. "Why did you do this, Soul?"_

_ He grins. "I was afraid."_

_ He lunges and kills her with one swing._

Maka wakes up crying in Soul's arms. Her body is shaking and her heart is racing. "S-Soul…"

"I'm here." he says calmly.

She swallows. "This isn't a dream?"

He shakes his head. "No. This is the real world."

Maka slowly calms down. Her breathing is slower and more steady. "You're here."

"Always."

"I was so afraid…"

"You're safe now. There's no place for fear." He kisses the top of her head.

"No place for fear." She repeats. "Yes…Thank you."

_I'll chase the nightmares away,_ Soul thinks.


	8. Stand By Me

**Chapter 8: Stand By Me**

At precisely eight o'clock, Kid wakes up and does his normal morning routine: he showers, gets dressed, fixes his hair, folds the toilet paper, adjusts the paintings if needed, lights the perfectly symmetrical candles, fixes his hair again, and finally, he prepares coffee. This rather full routine takes about two hours. By this time, Liz and Patty are getting dressed. Shinigami-sama leaves right when Kid wakes up, so he usually leaves a note with the day's agenda on it in, of course, extreme detail.

Kid knocks on Liz and Patty's door. "Are you two almost done? I need to make sure nothing is crooked."

Liz sighs and opens the door just as Patty pulls a shirt over herself. Kid tries to contain himself by clearing his throat.

"Make it fast, Kid." Liz says. "I still haven't done my makeup."

Kid waves his hand dismissively. "Makeup can wait." He looks at her closely. "You didn't happen to pluck your eyebrows last night, did you?"

Liz rolls her eyes. "No."

Kid sighs with relief. "Thank goodness. I thought they looked uneven for a second."

"Hurry up, maggot! I gotta fix my hair!" Patty yells.

Kid nods and begins his routine examination of Liz and Patty's clothing, which takes about twenty minutes. He, once again, points out that their breasts are not the same size, and therefore, unsymmetrical. This earns him a slap from Liz and a giggle from Patty. He also proceeds to lecture them about their completely different hairstyles, which bothers him greatly, since their weapon forms are "much more desirable" because of their symmetry.

Kid dusts himself off. "Well, everything checks out. Meet me downstairs in half an hour. Don't forget that we have a report to deliver."

"Speaking of which," Liz says, "why won't you let us read it?"

"Yeah!" Patty chimes in. "We wanna read it _too_!"

Kid sighs. "You'll get to read it later. Now, hurry up. I dislike being late."

Liz scoffs. "Like how you were three _hours_ late on your first day at Shibusen?"

"That's different." He replies.

"No it ain't!" Patty says.

Kid clenches his fists, trying to control his temper. "Never mind that. Just hurry up."

With that, he walks out of their room. _What am I going to do with those two?_ He wonders.

**o0o**

As Kid flies on his skateboard to meet his father, he wonders if he should gather the others together to discuss the report and the strategy that he and Maka came up with. _Well,_ he thinks, _we __**are**__ a team, after all. It's important for everyone to be in sync._ He decides to go to Maka and Soul's apartment first, since it's closer than Black Star and Tsubaki's place. He knows that unexpected house calls annoy Soul, but this is a special circumstance. _Surely he won't be __**too**__ upset,_ Kid thinks.

He lands in front of their door and knocks. "Ohayo. Are you guys awake?"

He patiently waits for a response, but gets none. He knocks again.

This time, Soul answers. "Oh, Kid, it's you. What are you doing here so early?" he asks.

Kid frowns and checks his watch. "Soul, it's already ten forty-five in the morning. Did you go to bed late last night?"

Soul looks away. "Something like that."

_I'm afraid to ask,_ Kid thinks. "Anyway, just let Maka know that we will be meeting my father at precisely eleven thirty, ok?"

Soul nods. "Will do."

"Oh, and one more thing," Kid adds before taking off.

"What?"

"Make sure you're always there for Maka. She needs you now more than ever."

Soul frowns. _The hell does __**that**__ mean?_ "Um, ok. I'll do that, I guess."

Kid nods and then takes off.

Soul closes the door. _Why did Kid say that?_

Maka hears the door close and walks over to Soul. "Who was that, Soul?"

Soul looks up. "Huh? Oh, that was just Kid. He said that we were gonna meet Shinigami-sama at eleven thirty."

Maka nods. "Ah, I see. Would you like some pancakes for breakfast?"

"Blair has been cooking for a while now, actually."

Maka frowns. "Then why don't I smell any smoke?"

Soul laughs. "Apparently she's been practicing."

"Practicing with clothes on, I hope."

Soul shrugs and grins mischievously. "I dunno. Let's go find out."

Maka laughs. "Yes, let's find out."

**o0o**

After breakfast with, for once, a fully-clothed Blair, Soul and Maka head over to Shibusen for their meeting with Shinigami-sama. Soul notices that Maka isn't talking very much, which isn't like her at all. He feels incredibly awkward just walking in silence when Maka is clearly not herself. _Should I say something?_ Soul wonders.

"Hey, Maka, are you ok? You aren't acting like yourself." Soul finally says.

Maka looks at him with a slightly sad expression. "Hm? I'm not acting like myself? I wasn't trying to…I guess I'm still a bit shaken up by last night."

Soul nods. "You know I'm here for you, right?"

Maka nods and kisses his cheek. "I know."

Soul blushes. "Wh-what was that for?"

Maka frowns. "What was what for?"

"That kiss. Why'd you do that?"

Maka's cheeks heat up. "Do I _need_ a reason?"

Soul looks away and mutters, "I guess not."

"That's what I thought."

Soul rolls his eyes. "Whatever."


End file.
